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Why should I strive for something so difficult, such a philosophical understanding, when I can live very happily with this body?

Expressions researched:
"Why should I strive for something so difficult, such a philosophical understanding, when I can live very happily with this body"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

But because you do not want to die. You want happiness... You cannot. That is the difficulty. You want, but you cannot. You want. That I know. But you cannot do it.
Room Conversation -- October 4, 1975, Mauritius:

Brahmānanda: At the present moment, I was reading, there is one girl in America, New Jersey, teenage girl. And for some unknown reason she went to sleep one night, and in the morning she did not wake up. So they then rushed her to the hospital, and they have an artificial machine that is keeping her alive, and this has been going on for one month. All of her bodily functions are becoming more and more diminished, but still, by this machine, she is alive. Now this has gone on for one month. So now they don't know what to do with her. Should they keep her like this, just running on the machine, or should they stop the machine and then she will die? This is a big legal problem. They don't know what... If they stop the machine, they'll be accused of manslaughter.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Some Catholic priest said that better to let her die, because this is God's way.

Prabhupāda: Then he has to accept the God's way and give up the machine.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But in a situation like that, isn't it more valuable to preserve human life because there's the chance...

Prabhupāda: What is the use?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: There's a chance that somehow or another, they might be...

Prabhupāda: Why should you take the chance? You are perplexed with overpopulation. And why you want to stay? One side, you are perplexed with overpopulation. Let him die.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But they can use the argument that you're saying that human life is simply for Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness.

Prabhupāda: No, from his argument, why should you try to keep it? Let him die.

Cyavana: They are afraid of death. No one wants to die.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They are afraid someone will take them off the machine, too.

Cyavana: We want to live as long as we can.

Prabhupāda: Then you have to accept that your killing child, abortion, that is sinful.

Cyavana: It's easier for the mind to accept what is apparent to the senses. For example, to accept that I am this body is easier for my mind than to accept a philosophy which you say that we are not this body. That is very difficult for my mind to accept, whereas I can accept very immediately that I am this body.

Prabhupāda: Because it is difficult, therefore you are a fool. That proves that you are a fool.

Cyavana: Why should I strive for something so difficult, such a philosophical understanding, when I can live very happily with this body?

Prabhupāda: But because you do not want to die. You want happiness.

Cyavana: So I can enjoy this body.

Prabhupāda: You cannot. That is the difficulty. You want, but you cannot. You want. That I know. But you cannot do it.

Harikeśa: You never see happy people.

Prabhupāda: That is their ignorance. They are accepting unhappiness as happiness.

Brahmānanda: Well, in this world there has to be some unhappiness and there has to be some happiness.

Prabhupāda: But we are trying to give you happiness only, no unhappiness.

Cyavana: But that's not possible.

Brahmānanda: That's artificial.

Prabhupāda: That you say, but we know.

Cyavana: We cannot see.

Prabhupāda: You cannot see, but you will see if you be trained up. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Cyavana: But it is easier for us to remain here and enjoy a little bit and accept a little suffering, accept this body.

Prabhupāda: Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that "Bhagavad-gītā should be discussed amongst My devotees, not amongst the rascals." It will be waste of time. Ya imaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati. Find out this verse.

Page Title:Why should I strive for something so difficult, such a philosophical understanding, when I can live very happily with this body?
Compiler:MadhuGopaldas, Rishab
Created:16 of Jul, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1